The Hindu : Front Page : KPCC's long wait ends; Sonia opens new office

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 28, 2005

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KPCC's long wait ends; Sonia opens new office

Special Correspondent

Party will function more efficiently, says Chennithala

IN SERIOUS DISCUSSION: Congress president Sonia Gandhi with the former Chief Minister A.K. Antony, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at the inauguration of the new KPCC building in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. P hoto: S. Mahinsha

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee's (KPCC) long wait for the opening of the party's new office ended on Saturday with Congress president Sonia Gandhi inaugurating it.

The new building was ready more than a year ago, but could not be officially inaugurated owing to the torrid factionalism that prevailed in the party at that time. The path became smooth with the departure of Mr. Karunakaran and his men a few months ago and the induction of a new KPCC team.

The new KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala did not lose time in getting the Congress president to carry out the task in the new-found sentiments of unity prevailing in the party.

Mrs. Gandhi unveiled the plaque, besides lighting the traditional lamp to signify its official inauguration before proceeding to the Rajiv Gandhi auditorium where an elite group of Congress leaders were waiting for her address.

The KPCC president emphasised that the new block was constructed with the contributions of lakhs of Congress workers. Congress Working Committee member A.K. Antony said he was happy that the KPCC now had a premise, which was modern. He said he was shifting his office to the KPCC now that it had more facilities.

There was hardly any reference to the contributions of the Karunakaran men, including K. Muraleedharan, who as the then KPCC president had taken the initiative to construct the new building.

The changed context in the Congress was clearly to be seen as those assembled at the Indira Bhavan chose to make light of any such opinion. According to Mr. Chennithala, the party would be able to function more efficiently utilising the tools of modern technology.

UDF leaders call on Sonia

A delegation of UDF leaders, comprising of IUML leader P.K.Kunhalikutty, Kerala Congress (M) leader K M Mani, CMP leader M V Raghavan and RSP (M) leader Babu Divakaran on Saturday called on Ms. Gandhi at the Raj Bhavan.

The leaders held discussions with Ms. Gandhi on the political situation in Kerala. Ms. Gandhi also met the KPCC office-bearers along with KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala.

The leaders of the Nadar Mahajana Sabha, Dalit Christians and the Jamaath Council also met Ms. Gandhi and submitted a memorandum demanding the implementation of the Narendran Commission report.

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